Abstract:

In open ended problems, the solving process requires the use of thinking skills, logic argue and a little bit of contrivance. As well in science, researchers submit questions, search for ways to answer them, and operate with earned results. Mathematical problems aimed at the use of procedural mathematical knowledge come to the fore of recent demanding.

Department of Mathematics in Faculty of Natural Sciences at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra is an organizer of the Mathematics B-day contest for Slovak Republic. Mathematics B-day contest gives a unique opportunity to solve mathematical open problem in teams of three or four students in one working day, full seven hours. Final written report of results, the continuous mathematical text of premises and proofs, represents the assessed outcome. The report must be understandable and supported by mathematical arguments.

Assessing of students’ reports with solutions of mathematical open ended problems is the core of our research. The correctness of mathematical results indicates the higher students’ competences, but also performed steps of approach used to solve the problems are in the focus of the assessment. Manifested mathematical competencies, progress of mathematical modelling, level of mathematical argumentation and writing skills, are main observed attributes. Six levels rubrics describe all above mentioned attributes of students’ team mathematical performance. Quality of written report depends also on methods how students process information, connect the knowledge and develop new conclusions. The approach of solution is unpredictable for several possible strategy choices. The complex structure of mentioned thinking skills represents creativity as next assessed attribute.

Description of establishing the objective rubric for assessing the level of creativity is the aim of this contribution. Based on recent studies dealing with creativity and the usage of creativity in problem solving, the criteria for creativity assessing were defined: originality, correctness of conclusion and mathematical results, applicability of results and their value for following mathematical competences development of student or the team of students. Criteria are described by expected performance for all six levels. Model of the rubric for selected solutions of mathematical open ended problems based on the Mathematics B-day contest reports are described in this paper.

Keywords:

Creativity, mathematical open ended problem, rubric, assessment.